Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has called on former Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi to engage retired President Uhuru Kenyatta and persuade him to support efforts aimed at keeping the Mount Kenya region politically united as preparations for the 2027 General Election gather pace.
Addressing residents in Meru on Saturday, July 25, 2026, Kindiki said Kiraitu was the most suitable person to approach the former president because of his long political career and close understanding of the region's leadership.
“Vilevile, wacha nikutume mzee Kiraitu. Kwa sababu unajua, mzee Kiraitu hakuna mtu mwingine ako na CV ambayo uko nayo. Hata mimi sijafikisha hapo,” Kindiki said.
He urged Kiraitu to seek an audience with Uhuru and encourage him to use his influence to ensure the Mount Kenya region remains united despite the growing political competition ahead of the next election.
“What you do, enda utafute Rais mstaafu Uhuru Kenyatta. Ni kiongozi wetu, sisi tulimuunga mkono mia kwa mia,” Kindiki said.
According to the Deputy President, Uhuru remains one of the region's most respected leaders and still has a role to play in guiding the community as political alignments continue to take shape.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki speaking in Meru on July 25, 2026.
PHOTO/DPCS
Kindiki also revisited the period when Uhuru and President William Ruto faced cases before the International Criminal Court, saying he was among the lawyers who defended Uhuru during the proceedings at The Hague until the cases came to an end.
“Siku alikuwa na case kule Hague, wakiwa na naibu wake wa siku hiyo, Rais Ruto. Mimi nilikuwa wa wale mawakili ambao tulikazana mpaka akarudi hapa Kenya, akakuwa rais na William Ruto akawa rais,” he said.
He said those who stood with Uhuru during that period also remained loyal to his administration after he assumed office.
“Na wakati amekuwa rais tumemuunga mkono,” Kindiki said.
The Deputy President appealed to Kiraitu to ask Uhuru, alongside other retired leaders, to help preserve the unity that has traditionally defined the Mount Kenya region.
“Kwa hivyo tafuta kiongozi wetu, Uhuru Kenyatta, umwambie mzungumze, ndio sasa kama watu ambao mmestaafu, mhakikishe kwamba hii jamii imekaa vile tuliipata,” he said.
Kindiki cautioned against political divisions, saying the region should not allow different camps to pull communities in separate directions.
“Hatuwezi kukubali hii jamii ya area hii iongee kwa lugha tofauti. Tutaongea lugha moja, na lugha ambayo tutaongea ni lugha ya TUTAM,” Kindiki said.
The TUTAM slogan has become a rallying call among President Ruto's supporters as they campaign for his expected second-term bid in the 2027 presidential election.
The remarks reinforce Kindiki's recent calls for political cohesion across Mount Kenya. While speaking in Embu on July 19, 2026, he dismissed efforts to split the region into different political camps and urged leaders to protect the unity that has existed for years.
“Mimi sitaki jamii yetu itengane. We are one people,” he said.
His latest appeal comes as leaders continue to position themselves for influence in the region ahead of the next General Election.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has been urging Mount Kenya leaders to close ranks, arguing that the region should safeguard its political bargaining power by remaining united.
Meanwhile, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has continued to push for greater recognition of Mount Kenya East, maintaining that Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi counties deserve a stronger voice and a fair share of opportunities.
The differing views have fueled debate over the future political direction of the region, with some leaders backing one united bloc while others advocate for a distinct identity for the eastern counties.
Kindiki has consistently opposed attempts to split the region, saying political rivalry should not come at the expense of the long-standing relationship among the communities. In Meru, he linked that unity to the TUTAM campaign and the need for the region to remain aligned with the Kenya Kwanza administration.
He also told the gathering that President Ruto's 2027 presidential bid would be his last before leaving office at the end of a possible second term, just as retired President Uhuru Kenyatta did after completing his tenure.